Some of the same people who say we shouldn’t ask for handouts or ask for anything for free are asking me to provide free work. As in, use my talent as unpaid labor. I’ve been out of college for 25 years, but it seems that some businesses want to use me as an intern. Recently, in the same breath that someone touted T. Rump and denounced Hillary, I was invited to provide free professional writing services. This person was tired of Americans asking for handouts, frustrated with the lack of bootstrap pulling, angry at the milking of systems (not my expressions). Somehow asking me to work for free doesn’t fall into the camp of getting something for nothing (which, by the way, is not how I view social programs).
My words, effort, talents, influence, and time have value. Ah, but write for our publication and get exposure to millions of eyeballs! Your name will be in a byline all over the place. Build your brand, they say. You see, I am in the business of branding. I am a brand strategy and marketing consultant. As in, I do this for a living. For pay. Real money, not exposure or access or accolades. Actually, when I do good work for my clients, I do get exposure, access, and accolades. And a paycheck!
If I work for free, it brands me as a writer who will create content for free. “Hey, if you need some kick-ass writing by a real pro but don’t have a budget to pay freelancers, call Ilina. She writes for free!” Why would other publications pay me to write when they know I provide content for free for others? This is not the way I imagined my brand (or my bank account) growing. Writers, let’s stop doing this. We hurt each other and our fellow creative class when we sell ourselves short. Our creativity, perspective, and insight are more than generic commodities; they are valuable assets to organizations that warrant compensation.
“Exposure” does not pay my student loans. Exposure buys me nothing. Exposure only affords me more exposure…as a free content creator. This sense of exposure as a value to writers can be filed under F for fallacy. This is simply a way to mask business not valuing the creative class. We must stop this practice and demand that our talents are appropriately valued and compensated. Do these same business is at lawyers to work for free? Do they ask accountants to work to work for free? Are creative professionals any less professional than their suited counterparts? Why is it an acceptable business practice to ask for free content from writers, photographers, designers, illustrators?
Home of the free must mean something different these days.
I could not agree more! Great post!!!
Yes, what SHE said. Free exposure that results only in more free exposure does not feed the family. Let’s work together, writers, and not give the milk away when we have to feed the cow.
Well put! I’ve been asked to do this many times. Who would dream of asking their lawyer or doctor to provide services for free for “exposure?” Why should my skills or my education be any less valued?